The Head of a Continuous Priestly Course
Bilgah (or Bilgai, as sometimes rendered in Nehemiah 10:8) is the name of a priestly ancestor whose lineage was established as one of the organized divisions for service in the Temple. His significance lies in his role in ensuring the organized and continuous worship of God in Jerusalem, both before and after the Babylonian Exile.
The Foundation of Orderly Worship
The first mention of Bilgah is found in I Chronicles 24, where King David, along with the priests Zadok and Ahimelech, organized the descendants of Aaron into twenty-four courses or divisions to ensure continuous and orderly ministry in the Temple. This was a critical step in establishing the liturgical life of Israel.
The KJV records the division assigned to his family by lot:
“The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,” (I Chronicles 24:14, KJV)
As the head of the fifteenth sacerdotal course, the family of Bilgah was responsible for Temple duties, including sacrifices and the offering of incense, during their appointed week of service. This system underscored the importance of structure, duty, and faithfulness in the public worship of God.
Preserved Through Exile
Like the other loyal families of Israel, the descendants of Bilgah endured the seventy-year Babylonian captivity. Their reappearance in the post-exilic records is a testament to the faithfulness of God in preserving the consecrated line of the priesthood and the dedication of the priests themselves to their heritage.
When the people returned to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple under Zerubbabel and Jeshua (Joshua the high priest), the priestly courses were reestablished. Bilgah’s family is listed among those who made the journey back:
“Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,” (Nehemiah 12:5, KJV)
Later in the record, a descendant of the family, perhaps the head of the course at that time, is named as Shammua:
“Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;” (Nehemiah 12:18, KJV)
Covenant and Commitment
Furthermore, in the time of Nehemiah, a priest named Bilgai (likely the same family or an individual named after the ancestor) was among the religious leaders who sealed the solemn covenant made by the nation to walk in God’s Law:
“Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.” (Nehemiah 10:8, KJV)
Thus, Bilgah represents a crucial link in the chain of divine service—a family line marked by dedication to the established order of the priesthood, ensuring that the necessary worship and intercession for the nation were carried out through the generations, even after the greatest national judgment.